Inoue Comes off Deck to Stop Cardenas, Espinoza Stops Vazquez at T-Mobile Arena Las Vegas
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Las Vegas, NV (May 5th, 2025)–Undisputed World Super Bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue, decked to his knees by a picture perfect counter left in the second round by challenger Ramon Cardenas, came back to knock down Cardenas in the seventh round and stop him with serious firepower in the eighth round to retain his world titles, in the main event on Sunday May 4, 2025, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Inoue, 30-0 with 27 knockouts, Yokohama, Japan, moved a step closer to fighting next in Saudi Arabia in December 2025 southpaw interim World Boxing Association World Super Bantamweight champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev, 13-1 with 10 knockouts, an Uzbek fighting out of Indio, California, contingent on his winning his next bout on DAZN at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 30, 2025, in Guadalajara, mexico, against Luis Castillo, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.
Inoue landed crisp left-right-left jabs, with Cardenas countering well to the body with an airtight defense in the early rounds. Combinations from Inoye eventually did Cardenas in, who grew tired missing with the left hand and was getting marked up. Cardenas tried the right hand, but was getting backed up and tagged.
Cardenas wound up on the ropes in round seven, where he was pummeled by lefts and rights and went down. An Inoue right uppercut prompted referee Thomas Taylor to stop the bout.
Result: Naoya Inoue won by stoppage in eight rounds over TKO 8 Ramon Cardenas, Super Bantamweights (0:45)
Inoye retains WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF World Super Bantamweight titles
Inoye down in second round, Cardenas down in seventh rounds. Referee: Thomas Taylor.
T-Mobile Arena Las Vegas Undercard Results
Rafael Espinoza TKO 7 Edward Vazquez, Featherweights (1:47)
27-0 Mexican Espinoza used body shots and uppercuts to break down 17-3 challenger Vazquez, fighting off the back foot, forcing referee Harvey Dock to stop the bout. Bout appeared over by round five, with Espinoza using a superior height and reach advantage to force Vazquez to miss often. Espinoza is open to giving World Super Bantamweight champion Naoya Inoye a world title shot at 126 pounds if Inoye wants to move up in weight class.
Espinoza retained the World Boxing Organization World Featherweight title
Rohan Polanco Won in 10 rounds over Fabian Andres Maidana, Welterweights
16-0 Dominican prospect Polanco won every round and sent, Maidana, younger brother of former world super lightweight and welterweight champion Marcos Rene Maidana, to the canvas in round 10 and back to Buenos, Argentina empty handed.
Polanco won the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Welterweight title
Ra’eese Aleem Won in 10 Rounds over Rudy Garcia, Featherweights
22-1 Las Vegas prospect Aleem, age 34, won by scores of 99-91, 98-92, 97-93.
Mikato Nakano TKO 4 Pedro Marquez Medina, Featherweights (1:58)
13-0 Japanese southpaw prospect had Puerto Rico’s 16-2 Medina down twice in second round, again in third and fourth rounds, forcing referee Harvey Dock to stop the contest.
Emiliano Vargas TKO 2 Juan Leon, Super Lightweights (1:40)
14-0 Las Vegas prospect Vargas won the vacant NABF Junior Super Lightweight title.
Art Barrera Jr. TKO 6 Juan Carlos Guerra Jr., Super Welterweights (1:15)
9-0 California super welterweight prospect Barrera, age 19, wins by sixth-round stoppage over Chicago, Illinois 6-2-1 Guerra. Scheduled for six rounds. This was the opening bout on T-Mobile Arena seven bout card. Guerra had upset Nico Ali Walsh, Muhammad Ali’s grandson, by six six-round split decision at Madison Square Garden in February 2025.
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